Episode 23

“Prophet! We are innocent! Please, clear our names!”

For security reasons, the meetings with the nobles were conducted one-on-one.

Each noble who came to see me wore a face burdened with the world’s injustices, pleading their case with fervor.

“I will only ask questions based on the information provided by His Majesty. If you believe you are wrongly accused, you may present evidence or circumstances to refute the charges.”

“Yes, yes.”

Outwardly, they appeared aggrieved, but in truth, nearly half of those summoned had no defense against being purged.

The term “purge” didn’t mean literally executing the nobles and eradicating their families. Most of those targeted by Richard had either committed serious offenses, lacked the ability to manage their territories, or were otherwise deemed unfit to contribute to the kingdom’s future.

Those beyond redemption would be stripped of their titles, while the rest would simply have their lands confiscated and be made vassals of the king.

Take Antoine, for instance, who was currently putting on a victim act. In reality, he was selling information to France for personal gain.

In the 12th-century French region, where noble lineages were notoriously tangled, such betrayals were not uncommon. Some were part of the Angevin Empire but had all their relatives in France, and vice versa.

Antoine might not even see it as treason, just maintaining ties with those he was close to.

Not just Antoine, but Richard’s other target, the Count of Auvergne, was no different. He had the audacity to declare in front of me that he might as well defect to France.

Considering that much of Auvergne’s land eventually became directly controlled by Philip II, his judgment was laughable.

Richard I decided to purge the Count of Auvergne, who boasted significant lands, for this very reason. If left unchecked, his lands would inevitably fall into the hands of the French king.

The nobles might have their own grievances. In the medieval era, expecting immense patriotism or loyalty to a nation was unrealistic, so their protests had some merit.

However, that didn’t mean they couldn’t be punished. If the king wished, he could charge them with treason.

On the other hand, there were so many like them that many cases were overlooked. Ultimately, it depended on the king’s discretion and authority at the time.

Of course, Richard, eager to strengthen his royal power, had no intention of letting such an opportunity slip by.

I waved the parchment listing Antoine’s charges in front of him.

“Let’s get this straight. Sir Antoine, there are accusations that you provided our state’s confidential information to France and received compensation. There’s also suspicion that you spread baseless rumors about His Majesty, King Richard I.”

“No… who would say such things…?”

This purge was almost like a staged play, but it wasn’t just for show.

Richard wanted to incite discord among the nobles and gain justification for his actions, but I had other motives.

While most of those on the purge list were expendable, some had potential value.

Even waste can be turned into fertilizer if used correctly.

By conducting these private meetings, I aimed to identify those I could manipulate to my advantage.

Initially, this ability seemed useless, but the single-line status window proved quite effective in situations like this.

“Let’s see, this one feels ‘exhilaration from assaulting women’… great, irredeemable trash.”

With that, I could decisively mark him for elimination without any guilt.

Such flaws weren’t even suitable for blackmail.

Unless he was secretly kidnapping and assaulting fellow nobles, which he wasn’t.

Alright, Antoine joins the list with the Count of Auvergne.

After mentally marking them for elimination, I dismissed Antoine and called in the next noble.

“This one exploits serfs, that one’s a psychopath… incestuous… the world is full of human garbage.”

As I examined each one’s flaws, I felt a growing distrust of humanity.

If only there were some useful individuals among them, but seeing a parade of failures was giving me a headache.

Just as I was considering scrapping the whole thing and purging them all, a notable figure entered the room.

“Ah, Viscount Limoges. You’ve been accused as well?”

“Yes, it’s a ridiculous accusation.”

Limoges, located east of Aquitaine and just west of Auvergne, is a city with a history stretching back to Roman times.

The Viscount of Limoges was one of the few genuinely innocent individuals on the list.

“So, you deny the charges of colluding with France listed here?”

“Indeed. I haven’t even been in my territory recently, as I’ve been accompanying His Majesty. How could I have sold information? It’s absurd.”

“I see.”

Limoges was included in the list to drive a wedge between him and Auvergne, not to be purged.

But there was an unexpected discovery.

[Non-believer]

The label above Viscount Limoges’ head was a first in this Christian civilization.

Being a non-believer in this era was tantamount to blasphemy.

Limoges must have been pretending to be a devout Christian to avoid suspicion.

This could be useful.

I poured wine for the Viscount and made light conversation.

“I believe you’ve been wrongfully accused, Viscount. We’ve served His Majesty together, after all.”

“I knew you would understand, Marshal… I mean, Prophet. Who would make such baseless accusations…?”

“Do you have any suspicions?”

“None. It could be the neighboring County of La Marche, Auvergne, or Périgord, but there’s no evidence. Do you know, Prophet? You must know who accused me, unless it was anonymous.”

“I did hear from His Majesty, but revealing it might cause unnecessary conflict.”

The Viscount pounded his chest in frustration.

“I’m on the verge of being punished for treason. This is no time for caution. If you can’t tell me outright, at least give me a clue.”

“Well… I suppose you have a point.”

I leaned in and whispered to the Viscount.

“The one who accused you is the Count of Auvergne.”

”…The Count of Auvergne? But wasn’t he accused as well?”

“Yes, and he suspects you in return. However, our information suggests he’s quite close to France.”

“That bastard! He commits the crime and dares to accuse an innocent man like me!”

The Viscount’s face turned red with anger as he clenched his fists.

“Prophet, I swear to God I’ve done nothing shameful. To prove my innocence, I’ll expose the Count of Auvergne’s wrongdoings. His Majesty will recognize my innocence, won’t he?”

“Yes, I’m sure he will. And if you sincerely repent, God will forgive your sins as well.”

”…Pardon? I’m innocent…”

“I’m not referring to this matter. Even now, you’re committing a sin.”

The Viscount looked genuinely confused.

“I don’t understand. What sin have I committed?”

“Swearing by God’s name when you don’t believe in Him lacks sincerity, doesn’t it?”

”…!”

The room fell silent.

The Viscount, visibly shaken, took a sip of wine.

Trying to maintain composure, he spoke in a calm voice.

“I don’t understand… I’ve been diligent in attending mass and donating to the church…”

“Viscount, there’s a reason the Holy See recognized a country bumpkin like me as a saint. You can deny it if you wish, but now that I know, denial is futile.”

“My God… how could this be…”

The wine glass slipped from the Viscount’s hand, spilling its contents on the floor.

He stared at me, oblivious to the wine soaking his feet.

I was just as surprised.

The [Non-believer] label above the Viscount’s head had changed to [Obsessive-Compulsive].

I finally understood this ability.

A person can’t have just one defining flaw, so the most prominent one is displayed.

The Viscount, having been confronted, could no longer deny God, so the non-believer trait vanished.

His pre-existing obsessive-compulsive trait became the most apparent flaw.

In other words, he didn’t develop OCD; it was always there.

I chuckled and picked up the fallen glass, placing it back on the table.

“I see the stain of disbelief washing away from your heart, Viscount. It seems your faith is finally taking root.”

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I was a man of little faith!”

Viscount Limoges, his face ashen, knelt on the floor, hands clasped tightly together.

“Now, now, there’s no need to take it so seriously. Even Thomas, a disciple of Christ, didn’t believe until he saw with his own eyes. There’s something to be said for seeing and believing, isn’t there?”

“Thank you! Thank you!”

The look in the viscount’s eyes was completely different from when he first entered the room.

I had initially planned to exploit his weakness and use him like a pawn, but now it seemed there was no need for that.

“Viscount, shall we return to the matter at hand? I am convinced that you have been falsely accused in this affair. If you can provide the necessary evidence, I will personally petition His Majesty on your behalf. Proving that the count who accused you is the true culprit would also serve as valuable evidence.”

“Understood! I will thoroughly expose how despicable that Count of Auvergne truly is.”

Viscount Limoges sprang to his feet, but before leaving, he carefully wiped the wine from his leg with a clean cloth.

After meticulously cleaning not just his leg but the floor as well for about ten minutes, he bowed politely and exited the room.

“I look forward to hearing good news.”

I smiled as I watched the viscount’s back disappear from view, wishing him luck.

Not only had I set Viscount Limoges and Count Auvergne against each other, but I had also stirred up trouble among four other families. In just a month, the bait would start to take.

It wouldn’t be long before I could claim Auvergne’s vast lands without lifting a finger.

Now, I suppose I’ll just sit back and wait for the hounds to bring in the prey.